Hors les murs
Alexandre Leborgne, Pierre Barougier
2005 - 82 min - DV Cam - Couleur - France

Founded by the American colonial administration in 1904, Iwahing prison in the Philippines is an open-air penal colony covering 38,000 hectares of jungle and coastland. After a probationary period, long-term prisoners are allowed to become farmers, fishermen or wardens, as the prison is self-supporting and self-managed. The “lifers’” families organise their own community existence. Alejandro will soon be released. As “mayor” of the 2,300 prisoners, he acts as an experienced mentor for various inmates, such as Toting the fisherman or Rodrigo, a domestic that rebels against his boss, a violent warden. In the prison court, Alejandro acts as the prisoners’ lawyer, since he knows about everything that is going on. When he finally released, he starts life all over again with his reconquered rights and a feeling of dignity.